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Introduction
Elemntria
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Chapter 2----The full moon calmly rose from the East, making everything glisten with its rays. Even Pagoesis shinned as he rode down the street carrying Tsurinichi on his back. Pagoesis came from the Pagoe Mountain Range, from a family of Pagoesis’. He started to slow as he came up to Trisha’s house. ----Tsurinichi jumped off his back and scratched his chin. “Many thanks Pagoesis,” Tsurinichi said with a cheerful tune. “Why don’t you go home this evening, see you family. Just remember to be back at the palace for noon, we have a parade tomorrow.” She winked. He threw his head back in acknowledgment and flew off for the mountain range. She waved good-bye as he disappeared into the horizon of buildings. She turned to the door and gave it a little knock. ----Trisha opened the door and a flow of warm and cold air collided. “Hello Empress Tsurinichi,” Trisha smiled and gave a small bow, “please come in. We have hot tea on the fire right now.” ----Tsurinichi stood in front of the door confused as to why Trisha greeted her in such a fashion. “Trisha, please, we are not in Esermas. Call me Tsurinichi and just Tsurinichi when we are out of Court.” She leaned to the right of Trisha, “Hello Daken. How is your theory on the void coming along?” She smiled and giggling softly. ----A man dressed in robes stopped his scurrying pace in front of the hearth at the sound of Tsurinichi’s voice. “Ah? Very well, very well, Tsurinichi.” He shuffled to the door. He was a medium sized man, but was not built as such. Daken was a scientist and an herbal healer, not to mention the best. He has a lab close to the palace and is widely sought out by people, dragons and elves. “My, my, you are very ravishing tonight my dear Tsurinichi.” He looked at the sky. “Better come in before it rains. Mustn’t get wet, could catch a cold.” He shuffled to his chair. ----Tsurinichi walked into the door, puzzled as to what Daken said. The moment she was fully in the door it started to rain. Tsurinichi looked out towards the downpour of rain that engulfed the streets, and then looked back towards Daken. “How did you… What the… Never mind,” Tsurinichi scratched her, confused as to what just happened. ----Daken chuckled as he poured himself a cup of tea. Trisha then sighed. “He is full of mystery.” She looked lovingly at him, “I guess that is why I love him so much and married him.” ----Tsurinichi looked at Daken, sipping his tea, and then looked back at Trisha, with her loving gaze. “I will never get the big idea of love,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think I will eve want to get married. As a matter of fact, I don’t have to,” she said with much determination, placing her fists on her hips. ----“I would not say that,” Trisha turned her head towards Tsurinichi; “there is someone out there for everyone. Maybe he has not arrived for you yet.” Trisha tried to assure her, placing her arm around Tsurinichi. ----“He came and gone,” Tsurinichi mutter as her head fell in sadness. “I don’t think I could ever stand the thought that my husband would die and I will live on.” A tear fell and splashed on the floor, like a single raindrop falling from the sky. ----Trisha felt bad for bringing up the topic. She knew what happened to Tsurinichi when she was 12, when her first love burned in the fire. She smiled, “Let’s go sit down and have some tea. We should forget this topic.” She showed Tsurinichi to her seat in front of the hearth. ----As the moon rose to its highest point, the group talked about everything they liked. Daken discussed several theories on the void and possible ways to bring Elemntria back to Centauri. Trisha brought up topics on history and English, reading several passages from Misuriorni, a famous Satarnatian poet. Tsurinichi brought up things that should be discussed in front of the businesses and monarchs at the next meeting in Esermas. It was finally getting late into the night, when they decided to call it a night. Trisha led Tsurinichi upstairs to her room, while Daken locked the door and smoldered the last of the coals in the hearth.
 ----The morning light pierced the clouds, brining the Elemntrian streets to life. They filled quickly with the smell of fresh bread and people. There were the voices of people discussing the celebrations of previous years and what might be coming up today, and the calls of merchants, calling out their merchandise and sales of half price. The city was happy in the upcoming celebration of their Empresses 2000 birthday. ----Not to far away from the markets, Tsurinichi burst out of Trisha’s door. “Thank you Trisha. And don’t forget to be at the palace tonight.” She waved as she disappeared over the hill to the markets. ----Trisha waved, standing in her doorway that dripped from the evening rain. “That girl. It is hard to believe that she is the Empress of this small country, and is 2000 today.” She shook her head and went back into the house, closing the door behind her. ----Tsurinichi ran till she made the edge of the markets. She walked though receiving good wishes and small presents of flowers from children. She was delighted to see all her people happy, and with no worries. When she reached the top of the markets, she walked into her favorite chocolate shop. “Good morning Walter,” she said with a smile, “how is my favorite person in the whole world?” She loved Walter; he was the closest thing she had to a father, next to Drakon’s father Drekon. ----“Good morning my child.” A round man came out from behind the counter to hug Tsurinichi. “I am fine.” Tsurinichi returned the hug. “What can I interest you in this morning?” He walked back behind the counter, “Chocolate turtles, or something new?” ----Tsurinichi smiled, “You know me too well Walter.” She laughed cheerfully, “Turtles please. Also some of the cherries,” she knelt down, “it has been a while since I had them.” ----“Very well,” he smiled grabbing one of the bags. As he started to place some of the chocolate turtles into the bag, he looked at Tsurinichi. She reminded him of a small child who is having her first taste of chocolate. “So what are the festivities going to be like this year?” ----“Oh,” Tsurinichi looked towards Walter. “I would have no clue. I know that there is a parade and several speeches, but beyond that I am clueless.” She stood up,” Aurora and Nyx kicked me out of the palace to do something special. I had to go to the Inn, but stayed over at Trisha’s for the night instead.” ----“I am sure it is nothing overly special, but you are turning 2000,” he bent down below the counter and chuckled. ----“Walter,” she leaned over the counter top, “do you know something? If you do, can you please tell me. I won’t tell Aurora that you told me, please.” ----“Don’t worry about it Tsurinichi, and I have not the slightest idea what those two Goddesses are up too,” he smiled and handed her the bag. “Here. I hope you enjoy the.” Tsurinichi reached for her money pouch. Walter raised his hand in protest, “Save your money, milady. Call this your birthday present.” ----“Thank you Walter,” she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then started for the door, “You will be at the palace tonight?” He nodded. She smiled and left for the palace. ----He waved as she left. “She is the sweetest child I have ever seen,” he bowed his head, “shame she is leaving for Crystria.” He went back to work. ----Tsurinichi walked up the street nibbling on her chocolates, when all of a sudden a shadowed creature came up behind her. She turned around and shouted, “Drakon! How are you? Why did you leave me all alone last night? I would have been bored if I did not spend the night over at Trisha’s.” ----The dragon jumped into the air. “Geez there is no scarring you is there Tsurinichi.” Drakon is the Prince of Dragons and is also a dragon from the Fire Element. He was born about the exact same time as Tsurinichi, and he thinks of her as his little sister. ----“Well if you wanted to scare me that much, then you should have come at me from the South. The suns rise in the East you know,” she pointed towards the twin suns. “When you want to scare me you must do it away from the suns.” She shook her head. ----“Oh well, maybe next time,” he shrugged. “To answer your questions, I am fine, along with my family. Sorry I left you alone last night, but it has been a one solstice since I saw my family last.” ----“That is good to hear. I am sorry as well, you are not trapped here and you are free to go wherever you wish in the kingdom. Just that I am not used to being alone, with Aurora and Nyx kicking me out last night. To think the Goddesses kicked me, Empress of Elemntria out of my own palace, that is absurd.” She huffed, and then smiled digging in her bag of chocolates, “would you like one too, Drakon.” ----Drakon looked at with a puzzling face; she is offering chocolate to a dragon. “No thank you Tsurinichi.” He looked over towards the palace, “Would you like a ride up to the palace, since we are going the same way.” ----“Oh that would be much better than walking,” her face lit up with joy. “I would like the ride, but don’t go to high in the sky, it has been a while since I flew.” Tsurinichi jumped onto his back ----Drakon chuckled as he opened his wings. Big gusts of wind created dust devils, and Drakon lifted into the air while flapping his large wings. He did not go to high as Tsurinichi requested, but he did go a short distance above the Merchant City*1. It was a short few seconds before they reached Esermas*2 and the other dragons were already waiting. When Tsurinichi jumped off Drakon’s back a small green dragon wrapped around Tsurinichi’s shoulders. “Welcome home Tsurinichi, I missed you so much,” she smiled as she hugged Tsurinichi. ----Tsurinichi smiled. “Hello, Emerwing. I missed you as well, I hope you had fun singing with the faeries in Aethasia*3.” He scratched Emerwing on the head. “How about the rest of you, how was your evening.” ----“The world of books has never been any better Milady Tsurinichi.” The white dragon spoke up. Shadon is the only dragon of his kind that is only because the Goddesses Aurora and Nyx created him for the soul purpose to protect Tsurinichi. Shadon always loved reading, and visited Shareon*4 constantly. ----“Well I am glad you had fun boring Stormight all evening,” Tsurinichi turned to the black dragon, “is that right Stormight.” ----“I was not completely bored. Just reading in on some history of dragons, and I also looked into some of the mythos from Satarnatina*5,” the dragon smiled. “I was not completely bored but Shadon’s ranting.” Stormight laughed. Stormight is a dragon from the Storm Clan. There are four dragon clans that are known in Centauri, the Storm, the Fire, the Water and the Forest. Drakon is from the Fire Dragon Clan, Stormight from the Storm Dragon Clan, and Emerwing is from the Forest Dragon Clan. ----“How about you Siren? Is your father okay?” Tsurinichi could barely ask the question. She knew Siren’s father, Denzer, hated her because the God Nuada instructed to him that Siren was to be placed under the guardianship of the young Tsurinichi. Denzer never really liked Tsurinichi since that moment. ----Siren looked off to the side, “I would not know. It appears that my father has moved the clan again. It seems like he does not want humans to find him, and it seems like he has also abandoned me.” Siren is the daughter of the Water Dragon Clan. She was to be the next leader, but because of certain events her father seems to have grown distant from her and dislikes her because she serves a human. ----“I am sorry that this is happening to you. IF none of this had happened you will still have the respect of your father,” Tsurinichi looked down. ----“Don’t worry about it Milady, it is my fathers fault he should does not like it but Nuada told him that it is to be so and he is not aloud to go against the God of Water,” Siren reached down and lifted Tsurinichi’s head. ----“Well look whose home,” a voice from behind her said. “You had us worried sick, why were you not at the inn last night.” ----Tsurinichi lowered her head. She laughed with a worried tone as she turned around. She saw Aurora and Nyx at the top of the stairs. “Hi! I am home.” Tsurinichi smiled. She did not want to know what Aurora and Nyx were going to do to her because she did not want to stay at the inn. ----“I am sorry Aurora, I did not like it at the inn it was so formal and boring. I went over to Trisha’s instead; at least I had friends around me the entire time.” She crossed her arms and looked away, “I preferred spending my birthday with my friends than alone.” ----Nyx who remained silent while Aurora yelled finally spoke up glancing sideways at Tsurinichi. “I notice that you went to see Walter this morning. I bet you could not resist it either.” She laughed. ----Tsurinichi looked at the box in her hands and shrieked, hiding the box behind her. “I could not help it; his family’s chocolates are so good.” She looked away from Aurora, “Anyway I don’t pick up too many. I only have a few a weeks.” ----“Try more like a couple dozen a week, Empress Tsurinichi,” Nyx chuckled. Aurora placed her hand on her head and shook in shame, the dragons all snickered. ----“Well I am so sorry, I can not help myself, they are just so good.” She then gave a quick, cold gaze towards the dragons and they stopped. “What plans do we have for today, and hopefully they do not take all day either, I do wish for some sleep before this evening.” ----Aurora was happy that she was finally getting on to a new topic. “The same as every year. A parade, and then a few of the elders are going to give speeches. Drekon, Selena, Nyx and I will be the ones with the most to say during the speeches. And then you may rest.” ----Tsurinichi straightened her posture and walked up the stairs. “Very good. I will be in my room if you need me. Emerwing will be coming with me.” She walked past the Goddesses and went to her room. ----“You have not mentioned anything to her,” Aurora watched as the Empress disappeared into the darkness, she then turned to the dragons. ----“No, gracious mother Aurora. We have not mentioned a single thing to her about what plans you have for her. Although I think it would be best if she knew before the ceremonies so she does not cry before her people,” Shadon stepped forward and suggested. ----“I fear that if we told her before hand she would only cry before her people. It would be best if we left it till tonight,” Nyx looked towards her sister.
----“Hey Emerwing,” Tsurinichi fell backwards onto her bed. Emerwing looked over to her, “I am 2000 years old right, but why does everyone treat me like I am such a child. I am also the Empress and have been so for 2000 years.” ----“It is only because you look like a child. It is not your fault that the moment you realized you were immortal that you stayed in the same form,” Emerwing flew towards the window and saw the Goddesses talking with the other dragons. “And it is also not your fault that you are connected to the dragons.” ----Tsurinichi gave a smirk; what if I could get some information out of Emerwing. “Hey Emerwing, what have the Goddesses told you about what is going to happen tonight.” She slyly asked. ----“Oh nothing really special but they were going to,” Emerwing stopped herself. She realized that she was going to tell Tsurinichi that the Goddesses were going to send her to Crystria. “Tsurinichi are you trying to get me in trouble with the Goddesses. Why did you try to make me tell you what they were going to do? Tsurinichi that is so mean.” The small dragon was about to cry. ----Well it was worth a shot, she thought. Tsurinichi stood up and walked towards the bathroom door. “I am sorry Emerwing; I do not want to get you in trouble with the Goddesses. Just that everyone knows something but me and it is really getting on my nerves.” Tsurinichi looked back at Emerwing. “I am going to take a bath, do you want to join me.” ----“Would I ever!” Emerwing said with joy as she flew over to Tsurinichi landing on her arm.
*1Merchant City - This is the only city of all Elemntria. It is called Merchant City because when it was appart of Centauri, this is where all the Merchant came to sell their goods. |
